Local Infiltration Analgesia Following Total Knee Arthroplasty

In Group A, 400 mg ropivicaine, 30 mg ketorolac and 0.5 mg epinephrine (total volume 166 ml) are infiltrated by the surgeon into the soft tissues peri-articularly during the operation in the following way: Before inserting the components, 20-30 ml are injected into the posterior capsule and before closure of the wound the rest is injected into the capsule incision, the synovium, the ligament and the subcutaneous tissue. After 21 postoperative hours in Group A, 200 mg ropivicaine, 30 mg ketorolac and 0.1 mg epinephrine, total volume 22 ml, are injected intraarticularly via the catheter.

In Group P (placebo) no injections were given intraoperatively. All patients had a tunnelled intra-articular multihole 20-G catheter placed at the end of the operation by the surgeon.After 21 postoperative hours 22 ml of saline was injected intraarticularly via the catheter.